


lose your nerve

by ShaneShenanigans



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Sharing Clothes, Tiny bit of Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-28
Updated: 2018-04-28
Packaged: 2019-04-28 22:03:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14458734
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShaneShenanigans/pseuds/ShaneShenanigans
Summary: Footsteps in the small puddles that littered the road became louder, first barely audible amidst the rainfall and then loud enough to be heard above it. It wasn’t until they were right next to him that Oswald jerked his around head to look.“It’s a big enough umbrella.” Lucius said, holding it further out, not allowing the rain to fall on himself but allowing space for another person. “If you don’t mind a little proximity.”





	lose your nerve

**Author's Note:**

> the fact that im writing for this pairing was totally 100% inspired by some posts made by a specific tumblr user who suggested the ship... i believe they were made a day before i'm posting this. if said user finds this and wants me to credit the inspiration, I'd be happy to do so.
> 
> anyway once i read those I couldn't continue with this other gobblepot fic I was working on until I wrote something for these two.
> 
> sorry for throwing up yet another under-edited masterpiece(sarcasm) that i wrote in under 24 hours but that's going to be my brand for this fandom. also like god is anyone even going to find this??
> 
> Lastly, but importantly i guess: this is canon divergent in a way and I don't know when it takes place. things are implied to be happening/have happened that have no relation to canon and also i don't tell you what they are. only the lucius and oswald bits mattered, okay?

Lucius was good at feeling out of place. Or more specifically, good at feeling out of place and not letting it get to him. His time at Wayne enterprises had allowed him to stand in a room full of sleazy, profit-driven executives with half the city’s blood on their hands without revealing his intentions. Standing in a room full of Gotham’s most notorious underworld leaders and professionals was nothing in comparison. 

Still, it was always nice to have a friend. Standing next to Bruce— and knowing Alfred had his ever-watchful eye on the boy from across the room— made things even easier. 

He’d heard a lot about Oswald Cobblepot during his time at the GCPD. He did enough listening, and his ability to read people certainly didn’t hinder the gathering of information. From what he’d heard and could see, Oswald was to Jim Gordon what Fish Mooney had been to Harvey Bullock. 

Gordon wasn’t there that night, though. Not yet anyway. There was always the chance he’d come storming in with some spontaneous arrest warrant for one of the more prominent names just to remind them all he existed. 

But, it was Penguin’s party. These days it seemed that if Jim wasn’t attending as a guest, he’d leave well enough alone. Bruce had been counting on it. 

“Mr. Bruce Wayne!” Lucius heard the voice before he saw the man, and straightened himself. 

“Oswald, so nice to see you!” Bruce boomed and Lucius found himself amused as Bruce welcomed a hug from Oswald, especially knowing Bruce’s distaste for everything he did and stood for. He certainly seemed to have the man believing he was just another dumb, rich, soon-to-be business executive, likely roped into the elaborate scheme that was Wayne Enterprises as a whole by promise of continued financial prosperity after his parent’s death. Lucius had to wonder if he was as fooled as he appeared to be. 

“Mr. Fox! It’s been quite a while. Not since Galavan.” Oswald held out a hand to shake and Lucius could have returned the smile and shaken his hand as graciously as he did every crooked shareholder and official for the sake of Thomas Wayne’s work. But he found himself accepting it unenthusiastically, and nodding with a frown. He didn’t know why. 

Bruce looked back at him with some askance, some criticism, and Lucius pretended not to notice. Oswald heaved a rather put-off sigh, but seemed to shrug it off as he turned his attention back to Bruce. 

He opened his mouth, but paused when he found Bruce distracted, eyes on something across the room. 

“Excuse me for a moment.” Bruce said before he could speak, and stepped around him. 

Oswald followed the movement with his mouth open as he’d been about to spout some polite nonsense that he’d built himself up for and everything. 

“Why does he always do that?” Oswald addressed Lucius, jerking a thumb in Bruce’s direction. Lucius pursed his lips as his eyes shifted to Alfred, who was watching Bruce trail after Selina who was apparently present with her adopted parents, Tabitha Galavan and Barbara Kean.

Lucius nodded in Bruce’s direction as he caught Selina with a tap on her shoulder, and she turned to him as a small smile betrayed her well-trained, unenthused pick-pocket frown at the sight of him. 

“Ugh,” Oswald rolled his eyes, turning back to Lucius, snatching a drink off a tray full of them as a host walked by. 

“You know,” Oswald said, voice muffled with his lips against the glass. “I had a friend who talked about you quite a lot.” 

Lucius tilted his head. 

“Well, enemy…” Oswald considered. “Or… friend, or… it’s complicated, but…” 

“You’re talking about Nygma.” Lucius offered, and Oswald smiled widely as he nodded with confirmation, mouth full of drink. He swallowed it, and breathed. 

“He said you were smart, sometimes didn’t shut up about it. I even heard about his whole… using you for his desperate attempt to find someone to replace me after he thought he…” Oswald put two fingers to his head, pulled the trigger, then stuck his tongue out and tilted his head to one side to feign his own death. Another host walked by with one remaining glass and Oswald snatched it up and handed it to Lucius. Lucius took it warily, but he took it. 

“So, do you like riddles?” Oswald asked. 

Lucius regarded him through suspicious, narrowed eyes. “Not particularly.” 

“Me neither.” Oswald replied, smile never faltering as he raised his glass expectantly. Lucius met him half-way, and clinked them together before taking a much smaller sip than Oswald seemed intent on downing. Oswald's grin colored him absolutely ecstatic when he did. 

“Mr. Cobblepot, forgive me if it’s an intrusion to ask, but are you drunk?” He asked, with maybe some concern. 

“Of course I am!” Oswald said, rather bitterly. “Why else would I be standing here, talking to you? You’re the do-gooder type, and you’re up to something. Just a smarter, less physical Alfred without the accent. Prettier though, too.” Oswald downed the last two mouth-fulls of his drink in one after that line. 

“Excuse me.” He said quickly, shoving the empty glass into Lucius’s free hand before retreating hastily. 

Lucius opened his mouth as if to reply long after Oswald had vanished, then closed it, and looked down at the one empty, and one full chalices in each of his hands. 

It was bad that Oswald suspected he was up to something. Bruce was trying to build and maintain an image with this man, and Lucius had sullied it when he’d revealed his distaste upon shaking Oswald’s hand. He still wasn’t even sure why he did it. 

Taking a deep breath, Lucius looked to Alfred, who had his eyes shifting from Bruce to Lucius, seemingly with double concern. Lucius gave him a nod of reassurance, and then turned to trail after the direction Oswald Cobblepot had gone. 

He found Oswald on the balcony, alone, cold wind whipping about and doing absolutely nothing good for his meticulously styled hair. 

“Perhaps I owe you an apology.” Was the first thing Lucius said as he approached. 

“You’re our patron tonight and I’ve been somewhat rude.” 

Oswald scoffed, and turned abruptly. “If you’re trying to butter me up so you can get away with whatever it is you and that butler are up to, it won’t work.” He said, aggressively, but then faltered slightly upon meeting Lucius’s eyes, and turned back around to face the railing. 

“The fact that you’re out here means you’re just trying to distract me.” Oswald huffed. 

Lucius considered. It didn’t sound like he suspected Bruce of any misgivings, just himself and Alfred. That was a relief. 

“…you came out here on your own.” Lucius had to remind him. Oswald grumbled something unintelligible. 

“In fact, is this such a good idea for you? Shouldn’t you be in there, shaking hands and accidentally over-hearing private conversations?” Lucius approached him with caution. He didn’t imagine the man had any weapons on him but he certainly knew he had a short fuse. 

Oswald heaved a sigh. “This party is meaningless in that regard, really. It’s just because some of the dumber, newer faction leaders found some information and became sentimental with an overwhelming need to kiss my ass.” 

Lucius shifted his weight, remaining confused. 

Oswald turned to him. “It’s my birthday, is all. This is my birthday party.” He gestured toward the inside. Lucius had to admit he hadn’t paid attention to the details of what they’d be attending, only that he was meant to help Bruce gather information on the underworld. 

“I used to celebrate it quietly, just me and my mother. Since I lost her I haven’t bothered at all. But now this.” He eyed the mostly-full glass in Lucius’s hand, licking his teeth under his top lip at it. 

“I think you’ve had enough.” Lucius pulled the glass closer to his own body. 

“But it’s my birthday.” Oswald argued, almost humorously and definitely rich with sarcasm. But thereafter seemed to accept that he’d been cut off. 

Lucius felt awkward, unsure of how odd it would be to extend an offer of comfort to the king of the underworld given all the precursors that lead to this moment. But he was having a hard time just turning around and leaving him there after what had just been revealed. 

Moments passed, and Lucius took a few careful steps toward the railing, and leaned against it a few feet from where Oswald was doing the same. He remained silent until Oswald spoke up. 

“Do you think James Gordon would have come if I’d invited him?” Oswald asked. 

“You didn’t invite him?” Lucius raised an eyebrow. 

“I didn’t think he’d come.” Oswald said. 

“He’s probably busy,” Lucius said, shrugging. It was the most honest answer he had, not knowing a whole lot about the kind of man Jim was these days. It seemed to change so often. 

“Yeah,” Oswald nodded, and sniffled, his nose having become redder. 

“We should go inside. It’s cold out here.” Lucius urged. 

Oswald heaved a sigh, and nodded. He walked to the door, then stopped, and turned to Lucius, who was following after. 

“How’s my hair?” 

“Still in-tact.” Lucius assured, and Oswald’s lips twitched up into a smile, the first sincere one of the night, Lucius thought. 

With that and a deep breath, Oswald slid open the glass door, and returned to his element. 

o-o-o-o 

“Look, Jim. Things are complicated right now. That’s all I can give you.” Oswald stood, straightening his jacket. “If you’ll release my men, I’ll be on my way.” 

“I’ll release two of them.” Jim said. “You can come back for the third if you think of anything else.” 

Oswald frowned hard. “You know, Jim. I’m perfectly capable of finding new idiots to use as muscle. If you think for a second I come all the way here out of a desperate need for their release rather than just out of respect for our mutual attempt to let bygones be bygones, you’re more naive than I thought.” 

Jim brooded over this quietly for all of four seconds. “Fine,” he grouched. “You can have all of them. I appreciate the tip.” 

Oswald smiled, nodded, and tipped his tophat. “A pleasure doing business with you.” 

Jim nodded back, if somewhat reluctantly, and sat down as Oswald left his office. 

Oswald was half-way to the exit when he paused at the sight of a familiar face in a holding cell; Alfred Pennyworth. His brow furrowed, and he scanned the rest of the GCPD with his eyes until he found Lucius Fox speaking with one of the officers, likely in regard to his case. 

His breath left him one moment, and the next he was sucking it in deeply as he watched the officer weasel his way out of the conversation, leaving Lucius looking frustrated. Oswald built himself up, pushed his cane out in front of him and then started over. 

“Word of advice.” He said, and Lucius turned to him with some surprise at the sound of his voice. “If you want anything done around here, there’s only really one man to talk to.” 

Lucius turned to face him fully. “I’m aware of that, actually. But I was told he was in an important meeting, not to be disturbed.” 

Oswald sputtered a laugh. “Well, as you can see by my standing here, that meeting is adjourned.” 

 

Lucius smiled with some relief. 

“Look, I know you have a friend to get out of lock-up and all that. But…” Oswald took a small step closer while looking at the ground, and then raised his head again to meet Lucius’s listening eyes. 

“…I feel the need to apologize for my behavior when we met the other night. And to thank you, for…” Oswald’s breath caught in his throat as his words got lost in his mouth and in his mind. 

“No need, Mr. Cobblepot.” Lucius cut in, taking some of the pressure off. “I’m glad I could help.” He nodded, tone not rushed or sounding feigned in any way. 

Oswald was sure there was a lie somewhere in there, but he let it go to his head as sincere anyway, because this was Gotham and you take what you can get. He nodded, accepting the reply, and stepped aside as Lucius rather urgently made his way to Jim Gordon’s office. 

o-o-o 

Oswald hugged himself around the chest. He was cold, and wet, and he felt used and thrown aside yet again. The latter, despite being a terrible thing to be used to— he was in fact, used to. The cold rain on top of it and the fact that his ride was still ten minutes away was just enough to make him want to shut hinself off. 

Another car pulled up— just as expensive as one of his if not more, but not his. Alfred Pennyworth jumped out of the passenger seat while it was still moving, gave Oswald barely a glance before rushing inside to where Bruce and Gordon were. 

Oswald huffed and tightened his arms around himself. 

Seconds passed before Oswald heard another car door slam shut. The driver got out with less urgency, holding an umbrella. It was Lucius Fox, because of course it was. He was, from what Oswald could see, one among four wheels of a well-oiled machine if you included Selina Kyle. 

Oswald only glanced in his direction, before turning his eyes back to the road where his ride would be coming from, raindrops splashing hard and cold against his eyelashes as he shivered. 

Footsteps in the small puddles that littered the road became louder, first barely audible amidst the rainfall and then loud enough to be heard above it. It wasn’t until they were right next to him that Oswald jerked his around head to look. 

“It’s a big enough umbrella.” Lucius said, holding it further out, not allowing the rain to fall on himself but allowing space for another person. “If you don’t mind a little proximity.” 

Oswald’s mouth was open but no words were coming out. His hair was matted down against is forehead and drips were coming off of it and then running over his top lip then dripping onto his bottom. He looked down again, but after a moment, side-stepped until he was under the umbrella and the rain wasn’t falling on him anymore. 

He shook off gently, remaining as small as he could to avoid getting Mr. Fox wet, still cold, still shivering, but relieved of the pelting of raindrops against his face and the top of his head. 

“Hold this.” Lucius moved the umbrella’s curved handle into his line of sight and Oswald looked at it. He did as he was told, though he wasn’t sure why, and made sure to hold it high enough so that it was suitably above Lucius’s head despite the fact that he was much taller. Oswald had experience in this, though now he was doing it simply because he preferred to. 

He didn’t notice the nature of the movement next to him, too confused as to why he’d been giving the umbrella to pay attention. He froze completely stiff when a weight fell across his shoulders, warmth spreading across them and then around to his front. In seconds, he’d stopped shivering, but still felt frozen. 

When he found that he could move again, he reached his hand up and grasped the seam of the jacket that had been placed over his shoulders, curling it tightly into his fingers. The jacket’s collar was bent up, and only inches from his nose. It smelled like cologne, and he turned his head very slightly, subtly, to breath it in. 

Oswald would have guessed practical in price, but daring as far as choice of scent. He far from disliked it. 

He jumped when the umbrella was taken back from his hand. 

“I take it you have a ride coming?” Lucius asked, perfectly casually. Oswald was turning to mush next to him and would soon be just another puddle like the one he was standing in. 

“Yes.” Oswald nodded quickly, trying to gather himself as best he could. 

“I might be leaving before it gets here, but you can hold onto the umbrella if that’s the case.” Lucius offered. 

Oswald made himself look at him. “That’s very kind of you.” 

Lucius smiled. “I guess I’m a nice guy.” 

“I can see that.” Oswald nodded, probably grinning too much before he made himself look down again. He sniffled, loosened his shoulders and stood up more straight, tightening the jacket around himself and feeling like he’d found his feet again. 

“Lucius, what the hell are you doing!” Alfred’s voice came from the building’s entrance, and the two of them looked back. 

“Just a favor for the king of Gotham.” Lucius gestured to Oswald, and shrugged. As he spoke, Oswald heard the sound of a car rolling up the road, and when he turned back Butch was parked just a few yards away. 

“Let’s go, boss!” Butch shouted. 

“Is that your jacket?” Alfred asked, jerking a finger in Oswald’s direction. 

Lucius shrugged. 

Oswald turned his head half-way to speak to Lucius. “I’m keeping this.” He muttered, and then started out into the rain toward the the car Butch had called out from. 

Lucius opened his mouth to protest, but Oswald had gotten away more quickly than expected. He was half-running, despite the fact that he was already wet, probably trying to save the jacket. 

Bruce arrived next to Lucius, under the umbrella for shelter, and looked him over. “You look cold.” He said. 

Alfred snorted. “Of course he’s cold, a bird’s flown off with his jacket.” He then cackled and snatched the umbrella from Lucius, holding it above all three of them. “Let’s get the hell out of here.” Lucius and Bruce kept his pace to follow the umbrella. 

“Penguins don’t fly, Alfred.” 

“Oh, shut up Master Bruce.” 

o-o-o-o 

It was late, but Oswald had been expecting him. Well, he’d been expecting someone, specifically Jim Gordon. He was prepared for Jim Gordon. What he wasn’t prepared for was the way his heart sprung to life when Lucius Fox walked into the room. 

His jaw dropped, and his entire game-plan went down the toilet. 

“Oswald.” Lucius greeted, using his first name for the first time. Oswald hated that he noticed that. 

“Lucius.” Oswald replied quickly, maintaining a calm demeanor as his insides fell apart. 

Lucius crossed the room calmly. He was clearly alone. Oswald was sure he would have had more good things to say about Lucius Fox than he would have wanted to if asked, but until that moment _stupidly brave_ hadn’t been on the list. 

Walking straight into the lion’s den was a Jim Gordon move through and through, and Oswald had to assume he was somehow involved. 

“Let me guess, you’re here to negotiate my betrayal of my allies.” He said, smiling sarcastically as Lucius got close. 

“That’s the long and short of it.” Lucius said, eyeing Butch and the two other men in the room warily. Oswald’s eyes shifted to them. 

“Leave us.” He said. 

“Boss—,” Butch objected. 

“Leave!” Oswald shouted, and room emptied itself with hurried footsteps on his command. Lucius sat down slowly at the chair closest to the end of the table where Oswald sat. 

Oswald stayed silent for longer than was comfortable, regarding Lucius, clearly attempting to read him through narrowed, untrusting eyes. 

“You’re not a cop.” Oswald said. “You’re… not anything.” He said, almost insultingly. 

“I’m a friend of the GCPD, they asked a favor.” 

Oswald snorted. “For you to walk into my house, alone?” 

Lucius sighed. “They seemed to imply that you trusted me, that we had some sort of understanding. I tried to tell them otherwise but they were persistent that I play this role.” 

“And you agreed?” Oswald seemed incredulous about the whole thing, but continued to play along, maybe half-convinced a bunch of cops were about to jump out of the shadows and send him to arkham all over again. 

Lucius shrugged. “I didn’t really see what there was to lose by trying.” 

Oswald smiled wryly, then looked down at the table in front of him. “Okay,” he sighed. “So, what is it? What did they tell you to ask of me?” 

“Jim Gordon wants the names of everyone you know to be involved in the breakout. He knows the risk you’d be taking, and has nothing to offer in return except his word that he’ll return the favor when he can.” 

Oswald huffed. “He couldn’t have just come here and told me that himself?” 

Lucius shrugged. “He was sure you’d say no.” 

Oswald sputtered a laugh. “I am saying no.” 

Lucius considered for a moment, and then shrugged. “Okay.” He stood and prepared to leave. 

“Wait, that’s it?” Oswald said. “You’re their secret weapon, and that’s all you’ve got?” 

“I told them this wouldn’t work.” Lucius said, standing near the table as he turned back to Oswald. “I’ve done my fair share of negotiating with wolves and lying my way into the trust of corporate leaders. I don’t want that to be what this is.” 

Oswald furrowed his brow, hard. “What… what… is?” 

“I didn’t follow you onto that balcony and pep-talk you back inside so you’d trust me and I could use it against you later. I know you didn’t approach me with advice in the GCPD so I’d come to trust you, either. None of it was to make this meeting go smoothly for my side, and I just don’t want to use it like it was.” 

Oswald stared at him, blinked a few times. “You’re in the wrong town, Mr. Fox.” Oswald said. Lucius looked around the room as if he were observing all of Gotham. 

“Am I?” 

Oswald snorted, and looked away from him, shaking his head. “Now I see why they sent you.” He laughed bitterly. 

“Oswald—” Lucius protested, taking a step closer to him. 

“You’re here to convince me we’re friends, and to sap me into giving up the names with nothing in return—” 

“Oswald…” Lucius walked forward, closing the short distance between them. 

“—they think I’ll fall for that again,” 

Lucius stopped in front of the chair Oswald was sitting in, placing his hands on both of the arms to lean over him. 

“—that I’m stupid enough to—,” 

Lucius leaned in further. 

“—do _not_ kiss me!” Oswald stood abruptly, eyes trained on the corner of the table to avoid looking into Lucius’s as he sighed in frustration. Lucius had straightened himself, but he hadn’t backed off. Silence fell between them as he shook. Nowhere close to a minute had passed before Oswald gave into the urge to meet his eyes, which were only inches away. 

Lucius was biting his bottom lip when he did, perhaps in shame because he’d been caught, or embarrassment for having had the attempt rejected. Either way it made it so Oswald had to watch his bottom lip slide back out from between his teeth, quickly followed by his tongue wetting it. 

Oswald melted at the sight of it, groaned internally, cursed and kicked himself and then he kissed Lucius Fox. 

 

It was fast, a little sloppy, too hard, but if Oswald was honest it was because it had been far, far too long since he’d kissed another man and right now he was all passion and no skill. 

Lucius’s body remained still, his hands at his sides, but as soon as Oswald withdrew he pressed forward, softer, more controlled. Oswald moaned against his mouth and his body became unbearably weak as he fell into it. It was just surface, just lips, but he’d been had, mind, body, and soul. 

Lucius’s hands came up to his shoulders and he squeezed, taking yet a step closer so their chests almost touched. 

Overall it only lasted a few seconds, and the kiss stayed soft. Deep but still chaste yet Oswald would live in it for hours. His eyes fluttered open to find Lucius looking down at him with… something unreadable in his eyes. Possibly concern, uncertainty. Oswald swallowed hard and looked down, away from them. 

“I’ll give you the names.” He said softly. 

Lucius stepped back, “this isn’t what I—,” 

“Please.” Oswald said, turning back to the table where he’d already prepared the list in case they offered something worth his while. This hadn’t been what he had in mind. He picked up the envelope it was in, and held it out to Lucius. 

Lucius felt as confused and lost as Oswald looked. Oswald seemed rather shut off, unable to meet his eyes, and something inside Lucius was telling him to retreat as well. So he took the list, and he did. 

o-o-o 

Jim’s eyes grew twice in size when Lucius Fox walked into the GCPD, and tripled when he held up his hand holding the envelope with the information Jim sorely needed. 

“How did you do it?” Jim said, loudly as he was still crossing the room to meet him when he said it. 

Lucius sighed, and avoided the question as he held it out and Jim took it from him with urgency, ripping it open and unfolding the contents to look it over. 

“I’m tired.” Lucius said. “This has been a lot, I’m going to head home.” 

“I can’t thank you enough Lucius, I owe you one!” Jim pointed the folded page in his direction as he ran off with the spoils. Lucius was glad somewhere inside— what he’d just given Jim would undoubtedly save countless lives, but another part of him just felt heavy. 

o-o-o-o 

Oswald was only a little surprised when one of his men— a new hire whose name he couldn’t be bothered with, whispered in his ear that Lucius Fox had arrived at the mansion. 

“Send him in, and clear the room.” Oswald said, simply, in a plain tone, not meeting anyone’s eyes. They all obeyed, and after a few moments of being left alone in the dimly lit room, a figure slowly joined him. 

Oswald didn’t look at him, but could see him walking in from the corner of his eye. “How can I help you?” He extended, still not looking up. 

Moments of silence passed before Lucius could answer, and he sighed deeply before he finally did. 

“I came to… apologize.” Lucius said, voice strained. “I think you may have misunderstood my intentions last night.” 

Oswald’s eyes narrowed. “You mean you weren’t just worming your way into my mind to coerce me into giving you what you wanted, seemingly of my own accord?” 

“…No, I was.” Lucius said. “There were lives at stake, and I won’t apologize for that.” 

Oswald finally looked at him, head turning slowly, eyes lit with a hint of confusion but also something sinister, and unnerving. Lucius didn’t let it unnerve him, and bravely took a step forward. 

“What I mean is…” He started, “What I mean to apologize for…” 

Oswald waited. 

“I wasn’t… trying to kiss you.” He said, voice strained. “When I came here I was willing to be cruel for the greater good. But not that cruel.” He spoke seriously, meeting Oswald’s eyes with every word. 

Oswald didn’t move, but once again he was falling apart on the inside. 

“When I leaned over you in the chair, I was just… trying to get close enough to make you feel like you didn’t scare me, like maybe you could trust me.” Lucius clarified. “You thought I was trying to kiss you… and then you…” 

Oswald felt completely and utterly broken, so much so that his mind was having trouble piecing together why. 

“I seem to have made a grave error.” Oswald finally said, forcing his body to make itself stand. “Thank you for the clarification, if you’ll excuse me.” He needed to lie down, and if any of his men tried to stop him he’d settle for stabbing them to death and then lying down. 

“Oswald, wait a moment.” Lucius said, stepping closer to him. Oswald turned to him as he moved in abruptly like he wasn’t worried in the slightest that Oswald would kill him for this. Did he not know all the terrible things about him? 

Oswald managed to grind out a few words. “Please, Mr. Fox. I’m tired. I feel like a fool, and I—,” 

Lucius put a hand on his shoulder and for a split second Oswald could have bitten it off but then it was gentle, and reminded him of when Lucius had squeezed his shoulders in both his hands. His knees wanted to give out. 

“I’m not here for anything from you this time.” Lucius said. “Jim caught the bad guys— I think, I haven’t spoken him since yesterday.” 

“Yes, you told me you were just here to apologize.” Oswald replayed their conversation with irritation in his tone. 

“What I mean is, yesterday I was trying to manipulate you into giving me something I needed. I never would have kissed you or done anything like kissing you to achieve it because… well, for personal reasons I would never take it that far.” 

Oswald felt like crying and he didn’t know what the hell Lucius was talking about. He just wanted to find his jacket that he’d stolen and take a nap in it. 

“That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to kiss you.” Lucius said, clear and firm and with no possible way that Oswald could have misheard or misunderstood. 

Oswald couldn’t speak again and that was becoming a pattern for him while in the presence of Lucius Fox. He merely stood there, looking up at the other man as pieces fell into place and he went from suffering anguish in the lowest pit of his gut to feeling light enough to fly. 

Lucius tilted his head. “You’re shorter today.” He observed. 

Oswald still didn’t move, but managed to say, “Yesterday I was wearing heels.” 

A smile broke out over Lucius’s face and he laughed, looking down to hide the grin. Oswald watched as that happened, listened as _that happened_ and a steady, recently defibrillated heart-beat turned into a fervent pounding one. 

“Do you want to get dinner, or somethin—,” 

Lucius was cut off when Oswald kissed him again, tugging him down by his shoulders in the process. Lucius didn’t hesitate to turn his head and lean into it, lifting a hand to Oswald’s upper arm and placing it there, rubbing circles with his thumb. 

This time it was longer, enough time passed that Oswald found himself running out of breath and pulled his lips back, sucking one into his teeth and then pulling it out of them as it shook, as all of him shook. 

“Dinner.” He nodded, their faces still less than inches apart, noses almost touching. 

“Also, uh…” Lucius spoke against his mouth. “Can I have my jacket back?” 

“No,” Oswald affirmed, and then kissed him again.

**Author's Note:**

> things the future holds:
> 
> 1\. oswald having to forgive lucius for being too good of a boy sometimes  
> 2\. oswald being a better boy because lucius said he should  
> 3\. lucius definitely meeting martin  
> 4\. ed crying at a wedding watching his two crushes kiss at the alter  
> 5\. definitely really good sex but you guys write it thanks


End file.
